The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, and his claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease is also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus or coronary artery disease were related to military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner stated that it is not as likely as not that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to military service, and there was no credible evidence of continuity of symptomatology since discharge. The VA examination in June 2006 did not reflect the severity of the Veteran's coronary artery disease as described during his personal hearing in February 2009.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 4, 2010
- Citation
- 1000157
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1000157.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
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